Air separator



Sept. 21, 1943.

C. E. HERMANN AIR SEPARATOR Filed Aug. 26, 1942 3 sheets sheet 1 Sept1943 c. E. HERMANN' 2,329,900

AIR SEPARATOR Filed Aug. 26, 1942 Sheets-Sheet 2 liwem ar' Mar/g:fdward/ferma/z/f Sept. 21, 1943. c. E. HERMANN 2,329,900

AIR SEPARATOR Filed Aug. 26, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 UNITED STATE-S PATENTOFFICE AIR sarannron Charles Edward Hermann, St. Louis, Mo. ApplicationAugust 26, 1942, Serial No. 456,452

15 Claims. (Cl. 209-139) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in air separators.

-Among the main objects of the invention are the provision of an airseparator having periphve'ntion consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully describedandclai'med; and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicheralair inlets adjacent to the bottom of the Figure 1 is a vertical crosssection through classification chambers, and an air and fine mamyimproved air separator. v terial outlet in the upper end of saidchamber, Figure 2 is a, horizontal cross section taken the material tobe classified being fed into said on line 2-2 of Figure 1. v chamberonto a rotating spreader plate disposed Figure 3 is a horizontal crosssection taken in said chamber intermediate said inlet and said '10 online 3-3 of gure 1. outlet, there being a coarse material dischargeFigure 4 is a detail cross section taken on line opening formed in thebottom of said chamber 4-4 of Figure 1. and a plurality of agitatorsoperating over said Figure 5 shows a modified form of separator bottomto bringthe material into the path of having a stationary spreadermember. air currents issuing from said inlets and moving Referring bynumerals to the accompanying the coarse material toward said dischargeopendrawings, Ill indicates a separator having a cylining. drical wallH, a bottom wall I2, and a top wall Another object of the invention isthe provision I3. The latter is preferably cone-shaped and of an airseparator of the class described having terminates in an upward axialextension or cona rotating horizontally disposed spreader disk for duitl4 which forms an outlet for air and fine receiving the material to beclassified, a series of material from the classification or separationrotating arms disposed below said disk and exchamber l5.

tending radially outward from the axis of rota An enlargement IS on thelower end of separation, and another series of stationary arms distor informs an air or mud box which communiposed in a spaced relation withthe-horizontal cates with chamber l5 through a plurality of 'plane orplanes of .said rotating arms and. in inlets H which are arrangedperipherally around overlapping relation therewith, whereby the mathelower end of said casing iii. terial dischargedfrom said disk issubjected to A tangential extension I8 is formed on air the action ofsaid rotating and stationary arms. box It and is adapted to be connectedto a suit- Other objects of the invention are to provide able airreturnpipe l9 of the classification sysan air separator having peripherallydisposed air tem. inlets adjacent to the bottom of the classifica- Avertically disposed bearing 20 is fixed to the tion chamber, an axialair and fine material bottom wall l2 and journaled in said bearing isoutlet in the upper end thereof, and a material a vertically disposedshaft 2!. The lower end of agitating assembly revolubly mounted in saidthis shaft is actuated in any suitable manner. chamber coaxiallytherewith, said assembly com- The upper end has fixed thereon a,rotating asprising a horizontal spreader disk adapted to sembly 22. Thisassembly consists of a lower receive the material to be classified, anda. plurotating member 23 and an upper rotating memrality of armsextending radially outward, and her 24. one or more scoops or plowsoperating over the The lower member 23 encloses the upp end bottom ofsaid chamber and in the horizontal of shaft 2| and has a horizontallydisposed anplane of said air inlets, there being a discharge 'nular diskor flange 25 arranged adjacent to opening formed in said bottom throughwhich bottom wall l2. One or more vertically and the reject material isdischarged by said plows radially disposed flanges 26 are formedintegral as they operate over said bottom. with member 23 and flange 26and fixed to each Another object of the invention is to provide flange26 is a. plow or agitator 21. an air separator having a plurality of airinlets The upper member 24 is in the form of a verdis'posed peripherallynear the lower end theretically disposed drum 28 having the lower end ofand having an air and line material outlet fixed to shaft 2| and havingthe upper end proat the upper end-and a sleeve arranged in slid; videdwith a horizontally disposed spreader disk ing engagement with theperipheral casing of said 29 which extends a suitable distance past saidseparator adjacent to said inlets and adjustable drum. on saidperipheral wall to regulate the size of Fixed to the drum 28 andextending radially said inlets. outward therefrom are arms 3|! arrangedin one With these and other objects in view, my in-' or more peripheralrows.

spreader disk 29 through a conduit 32 extending into the separator it)through top wall and having its lower end 33 disposed coaxially withsaid separator and terminating a suitable distance above said disk 29. Atelescopic joint 34 in conduit 32 permits adjustment of said end 33relatively to disk 29. The outer end of conduit 82 is connected to thedischarge end of a mechanical feeder 38, the inlet end of which hasconnected thereto a material delivery pipe 31.

The reject or coarse material is deposited on bottom i2 and is removedtherefrom through a discharge opening 38 formed in said bottom near theinlets i 1. A collection chamber or conduit 39 is attached to bottom I2and receives the reject material discharged through opening 38. A

flap gate 40 closes the lower end of member 39.

Adjustably mounted in the lower end of separator casing II is a sleeve4| which is movable vertically to reduce the openings connecting theinlet H with chamber l5. The sleeve is held in adjusted position by aplurality of horizontally disposed bolts 42 seated in casing II and eachengaging one of several holes 43 arranged in a vertical row in sleeve 4I.

By adjusting sleeve 4|, the size of the openings of inlets l I can bevaried and the flow of air from box 16 to chamber l regulated. Theinlets I! are curved in the direction of the incoming air and preferablyopen radially into said chamber l8 (see Fig. 2). The walls l'la of theadjacent inlets converge and form a sharp point 11b to reduce airresistance to a minimum.

In the modified form shown in Figure 5, a spreader member 44 is heldstationary in chamber 15 by rods 45 fixed to casing II). This spreadermember is of an inverted cone-shape and the material discharged thereonis spread downwardly in said casing.

The air separator of my improved construction has a closed casingprovided with a suction outlet at the upper end and air inlets at thelower end. The air inlets are streamlined and are contained in a wind orair box which has a tangentially disposed air inlet port. 7

The material'is fed into the separator by a feed pipe which is locatedabove a material spreader member. The latter discharges the materialinto the space between the casing well and the rim of the spreader disk.The rising air stream picks up the fine material, while the coarsermaterial drops and is agitated by the plows 21. Coarse or rejectmaterial collects on the bottom l2 and is discharged therefrom throughthe throw-out opening 38.

My improved air separator is simple in operation and provides accurateand efficient classification of material.

While I have shown and described herein the preferred form of myinvention, various changes in the construction and arrangement thereofcan be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In an air separator, the combination of a separator casing, an airoutlet extending axially from the upper end thereof, a peripheral airbox surrounding the lower end of said casing, a plurality of inletsconnecting said air box with the interior of said casing, a verticallydisposed shaft revolubly mounted in the bottom of said casing, andextending thereinto, a drum fixed to the upper end of said shaft, ahorizontally disposed spreader disk fixed to the upper end of said drum,a material delivery pipe extending downwardly into said casing andterminating above said disk, whereby the material to be classified isdischarged onto said disk, a plurality of rotating arms fixed to saiddrum and extending radially outward, a plurality of stationary armsfixed to said casing and extending radially inward in spaced relationwith said rotating arms, whereby said rotating and stationary armscooperate to separate coarse particles from fine material, an outlet forcoarse particles arranged in the bottom of said casing, and a pluralityof plows fixed to said shaft below said drum and operating over saidbottom for moving said coarse particles to said outlet.

2. In an air separator, the combination of a separator casing, an airand fine material outlet extending axially from the upper end thereof, aperipheral air inlet box surrounding the lower end of said casing, aplurality of inlets connecting said air box with the interior of saidcasing. a vertically disposed shaft revolubly mounted in the lower endof said casing, a drum fixed to the upper end of said shaft, 9.horizontally disposed spreader disk fixed to the upper end of said drum,a material delivery pipe extending obliquely downward into said casingand terminating above said spreader disk for delivering materialthereonto, a plurality of rotating radial arms fixed to said drum, aplurality of stationary arms fixed to said casing and extending inwardin spaced relation with said rotating arms, whereby coarse particles ofmaterial are defiected downwardly by said stationary and rotating arms,a discharge for said coarse particles formed in the bottom of saidcasing near the outer periphery thereof, a receiver for said rejectmaterial connected to said discharge, and a plurality of vanes securedto said shaft below said drum for agitating the material adjacent tosaid air inlets and moving the reject material toward said dischargeopening.

3. In an air separator, the combination of a separator casing, an airand fine material outlet extending axially from the upper end thereof,an air inlet box peripherally enclosing the lower end of said casing, aplurality of inlets connecting said air box with the interior of saidcasing, a vertically disposed bearing fixed to the bottom of saidcasing, a revoluble shaft journaled in said bearing and extending intosaid casing, a rotating assembly fixed on said shaft in said casing andcomprising an upper member and lower member, a horizontally disposedspreader disk fixed to said upper rotating member, a material deliverypipe extending downward into said casing and terminating above said diskfor discharging material thereinto, a reject material dischargedisposedin the bottom of said casing adjacent to said inlets, and aplurality of vanes fixed to said lower rotating member and agitating thematerial past said inlets and sweeping the rejectmaterial on said bottomtoward said discharge.

casing, a reject material discharge formed inthe bottom of said casingnear the outer periphery thereof, an air inlet box enclosing the lowerend of said casing, a plurality of inlets connecting said air box withthe lower end of said casing. a vertically disposed rotating assemblyjournaled in the lower end of said casing and comprising a lowerrotating member and an upper rotating member, a horizontally disposedspreader disk on said upper rotatin'g member, a material feed conduitextending downward into said casing and terminatingabove said disk fordischarging material thereonto, and a plumks...

3 member, a horizontally disposed spreader diskonsaid upper rotatingmember. a material feed conduit extending downward into said casing andterminating above said disk for discharging material thereonto. aplurality of vertically andv radially disposed flanges fixed on saidlower rotating member, a vane fixed to each flange for agitating thematerial in said casing and moving the reject material on the bottomthereof to said discharge, a receptacle fixed to said casing bottombelow said discharge for receiving the reject material, and a closuremember for said receptacle for. permitting removal of said rejectmaterality of agitator vanes carried by the lower rotating member andoperating across said inlets to agitate the material over the bottom ofsaid casing for moving the reject material to said discharge.

' 5. In an air separator, the combination of a separator casing, an airand fine material outlet extending axially from the upper end of saidcasing, a reject material discharge formed in the bottom of said casingnear the outer periphery thereof, an air inlet box enclosing the lowerend of said casing, a plurality of inlets connecting said air box withthe lower end of said casing,

a vertically disposed rotating assembly journaled in the lower end ofsaid casing and comprising a lower rotating member and an upper,rotating member, a horizontally disposed spreader disk on said upperrotating member, a material feed conduit extending downward into saidcasing and terminating above said disk for discharging materialthereonto, a plurality of agitator vanes carried by the lower rotatingmember and operating across said inlets to agitate the material over thebottom of said casing for moving the reject materialto said discharge,and a receptacle below said discharge for receiving said rejectmaterial.

6. In an air separator, the combination of a separator casing, an airand fine material outlet extending axially from the upper end of saidcasing, a reject-material discharge formed in the bottom of said casingnear the outer periphery thereof, an air inlet box enclosing the lowerend of said casing, a plurality of inlets connect ing said air box withthe lower end of said casing,

a vertically disposed rotating assembly journaled in the lower end ofsaid casing and comprising a lower rotating member and an upper rotatingmember, a horizontally disposed spreader disk on said upper rotatingmember, a material feed conduit extending downward into said casing andterminating above said disk for discharging material thereonto, aplurality of vertically and radially disposed flanges fixed on saidlower rotating member, and a vane fixed to each flange for agitating thematerial in said casing and moving the reject material'on the bottomthereof to said discharge.

7. In an air separator, the combination of a separator casing, an airand fine material outlet extending'axially from the upper end of saidcasing, a reject material discharge formed in the bottom of said casingnear the outer periphery thereof, an air inlet box enclosing the lowerend of said casing, a plurality of inlets connecting said air box withthe-lower end of said casing, a vertically disposed rotating assemblyjournaled in the lower end of said casing and comprising a lowerrotating member and an upper rotating rial from said receptacle.

separator casing, an air and fine material outlet extending axially fromthe upper end of said casing, an air inlet box enclosing the lower endof said casing, a. plurality of air inlets arranged in said air boxperipherally of said casing and opening thereinto, a sleeve slidablymounted in said casing above said inlets and adjustable downwardly toreduce the size of said'inlet openings, a reject materialdlscharge'formed in the bottom of said casing, a vertically disposedrevoluble member in said casing, a material delivery conduit extendinginto said casing, and means fixed to said revoluble member and operatingover said casing bottom for movingthe reject material to said discharge.

9. In an air separator, the combination of a separator casing, an airand fine material outlet extending axially from the upper end of saidcasing, an air inlet box enclosing the lower end of said casing, aplurality of air inlets arranged in said box peripherally of said casingand opening thereinto, a sleeve slidably mounted in said casing abovesaid inlets and adjustable partially to close said inlets, means forsecuring said sleeve in adjusted position, a reject material dischargeformed in the bottom of said casing, and means rotatably mounted in saidcasing'and operable over the bottom thereof for moving the rejectmaterial toward said discharge opening.

10. In an air separator, the combination of a separator casing, an airand fine material'outlet extending, axially from the upper end of saidcasing, an air inlet box enclosing the lower end of said casing, aplurality of air inlets arranged in said box peripherally of said casingand opening thereinto, a sleeve slidably. mounted in said casing abovesaid inlets and adjustable partially to close said inlets, means forsecuring said sleeve in adjusted position, a reject material dischargeformed in the bottom or said. casing, means rotatably mounted in saidcasing and operable over the bottom thereof for moving the rejectmaterial toward said discharge opening, and a normally closed receptaclesecured to the bottom of said casing below said discharge for receivingthe reject material.

11. In an air separator, the combination of a separato'r'casing, asuction air outlet extending axially from the upper end thereof, an airbox surrounding the lower end of said casing, a plurality of inletsconnecting said air box with said casing, a spreader member disposed insaid casing above said inlets, means for discharging material to beclassified onto said spreader member, a plurality of rotating plowsoperating over the bottom of said casing for agitating the material andmoving the reject material collected in said bottom, said bottom beingformed with a throwout opening, and a receptacle connected in saidthrow-out opening for receiving said reject material.

separator casing, a suction air outlet extending axially from the upperend thereof, an air box surrounding the lower end of said casing, aplurality of inlets connecting said air box with said casing, a spreadermember disposed in said casing above said inlets, means for dischargingmaterial to be classified onto said spreading member, a plurality ofrotating plows operatin over the bottom of said casing for agitating thematerial and moving the reject'material collected in said bottom, saidbottom being formed with a throwout opening, a receptacle connected tosaid throwout opening for receiving said reject material, and a fiatgate for closing said receptacle for automatically discharging saidreject material from said receptacle.

13. In an air separator, the combination of a casing, a suction air andfine material outlet in the upper end thereof, an air box surroundingthe lower end of said casing, a plurality of inlets in said air boxopening radially inward into said casing, a spreader member disposed insaid casing above said inlets, means for discharging the material ontosaid spreader member, agitating means operating in the lower end of saidcasing for mixing the material discharged from the spreader member withthe air currents from said inlets, a throw opening in the bottom of saidcasing, and a receptacle connected to said opening for receiving thereject material thrown out through said opening.

12. In an air separator, the combination of a 14. In an air separator,the combination oi a casing, a suction air and fine material outlet inthe upper end thereof, an air box surroundins the lower end 01 saidcasing, a plurality oi inlets in said air box opening radially inwardinto said casing, a spreader member disposed in said casing above saidinlets, means for discharging the material onto said spreader member,agitating means operating inthe lower end 01 said casing for thematerial discharged from the spreader member with the air currents fromsaid inlets, a throw-out opening in the bottom of said casing, areceptacle connected to said opening for receiving the reject materialthrown out through said opening, and a closure member in said receptaclefor automatically discharging the reject material therefrom.

15. In an air separator, the combination of a casing, a suction air andfine material outlet in the upper end thereof, an air box surroundingthe lower end of said casing, a plurality of inlets in said air boxconnecting said box with said casing, a spreader member disposed in saidcasing above said inlets, means for discharging the material onto saidspreader member, agitating means in the lower end of said casing formixing the material discharged from said spreader member with the aircurrents issuing from said air inlets. and a throw-out opening in thebottom of said casing for discharging therefrom the reject material.

CHARLES EDWARD HERMANN.

